Esther Wanjiku Karuri aka Bobo Shanty.
Details of a woman found dead alongside two suspects linked to a violent robbery in Eastleigh two weeks ago have been revealed.
The woman, identified as Esther Wanjiku Karuri aka Bobo Shanty, was with the two suspects, Fredrick Kopo Obote aka Frik and Jaylan Kibe, in Mombasa when they were picked up from a car dealership by unknown men. This was the last time the three were seen alive.
Their bodies were found at different locations in Nairobi and Kiambu counties.
Esther Wanjiku Karuri aka Bobo Shanty.
An officer privy to the ongoing investigation told the Nation that during the violent robbery in Eastleigh, which was captured on CCTV, Kopo was the man who pulled the trigger while the rider was Kibe.
The victim, identified as Adan Ali Mohamed, lost Sh3.9 million in the incident and is currently fighting for his life in a city hospital.
Esther's body was found in Ruiri and taken to the city mortuary before her family moved it to Chiromo earlier this week.
Speaking to the Nation, Esther's friends and neighbours described her as a lover of life who lived on the fast lane.
Others said she was known to be involved in criminal activities and had been warned several times on social media by Kiamaiko and Mathare community groups.
Esther, a mother of one, grew up in Kiamaiko with Kopo and Kibe. The three are said to have been childhood friends.
"They were always together and usually enjoyed hanging out in clubs together," said a close friend of Esther's.
From her social media posts, Esther seemed to love the finer things and all the pleasures of life. She was fashionable and very active on TikTok, where she regularly shared her videos.
In one of her posts, she shared a video of herself smoking bhang while listening to a reggae song.
She also loved football and was a keen Manchester United fan.
In December 2023, she was exposed in a number of social media groups on both Facebook and WhatsApp after she allegedly stole Sh20,000 from a man she met at a club.
"They went to a club for a reggae night and the lady stole Sh20,000 and a phone from my friend. We tried to find her but to no avail and decided to post the whole story on social media," said a friend of the man who lost his money.
Following the deaths, the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) condemned the deaths of the three, saying that if the police believed they were involved in the murder, they could have arrested them and charged them to court.
"It would have been important for them to be arrested and charged in court. The procedures that should be followed in such a case are very clear," said Martin Mavenjina of the KHRC.
